ProfessorMaryBeard,renownedclassicistandTVhistorian,istoexplorewhatlifewaslikeinoneoftheworld’smostextraordinaryandiconicarchaeologicalsites,inPompeii:LifeBeforeDeath,anewlandmarkprogrammeforBBCOneccc
MaryBeard–aworldPompeiiexpertandauthorofPompeii:LifeOfARomanTown–willbejoininganinternationalteamastheybringtheverylatesttechnologytobearonthismostextraordinaryofarchaeologicalsites.
MaryBeardsays:“ThisisareallyexcitingchancetofindoutmoreabouttheordinarypeoplewholivedinancientPompeii.It'saonceinalifetimeopportunity.I'mhopingwe'regoingtounlocksomeifthesecretsaboutwhothepeoplewere.”
Forthefirsttime,ateamisCTscanningandfullyinvestigatingtheworld-famouscastsofthebodiestoanalysetheskeletonstrappedwithin,toascertainalltheycanaboutwhotheywere,wheretheycamefromandhowtheylived.AteamisalsoconductingDNAanalysisofthebodiesforthefirsttime.
Elsewhere,thedocumentarywillfollowtheworkofrecoveringdamagedfrescoesandmosaics,theexcavationandrebuildingofcertainkeybuildingsandtheorganisationandcataloguingofthethousandsofastonishingartefactsinthestorerooms–fromloavesofbreadtopetmonkeys,paintpotstopurses.Itwillshinealightontheworkofarchaeologistswhoareexploringthethirdofthetownthathasneverbeenexcavated,andwillpresentauniquefirstlookatthecompletePompeiiinstunningCGI.
Usingtheevidencegleanedfromallthisresearch,theBBCOnefilmwillpiecetogetherafullpictureofdailylifeinPompeiibeforethetownwasdestroyedbytheeruptionofVesuviusinAD79.